


Lifeline

by WordsInTimeAndSpace



Series: On the Way Home [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, OT3, Romance, Telepathy, Time War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 17:19:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8498539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsInTimeAndSpace/pseuds/WordsInTimeAndSpace
Summary: When the Time War comes close to an end after years of fighting, the Doctor seeks solace in the arms of the woman who is his only reminder that there is still a future waiting for him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to chiaroscuroverse for the beta! :)
> 
> And, just to avoid any confusion: I completely ignore the 50th special in this fic.

Rose was curled up on the jump seat, her legs tucked underneath her and a book in her hands. But after reading the same sentence over and over without grasping the meaning, she had finally given up and watched the Doctor beneath the console instead. He'd been busy with repairs all evening, ever since they came home from today's adventure on an alien planet. Lost in thought, Rose played with a strand of hair between her fingers, the tips still damp after a quick shower. This day felt entirely normal – at least for their standards – and she relished the feeling that everything was back to how it was supposed to be.

It had been a few months since she had found her way back to the Doctor after years of being stuck in a parallel universe. Sometimes, she could still barely believe her luck. She and the Doctor had directly continued their intimate relationship right where they had left off, but it had taken a bit until Rose really realized that their separation was finally over. That she wouldn't wake up in a different universe the next day, alone and lonely, their broken bond aching in her mind.

Watching the Doctor work on the TARDIS was such a familiar scene that it always helped to let reality sink in. The man she loved more than anything else in this world was just a few feet away from her. It would be so easy to cross the distance between them until she could touch him, not just telepathically like she could now, but physically – to hold his hand, to run her fingers through his hair, to straddle his lap to distract him from his work to engage in more pleasurable things-

A yelp sounded from under the console and a second later the Doctor's face appeared. He scrambled to his feet and glared at her, sucking his burnt finger into his mouth.

“Would you mind not having these thoughts while I'm tinkering with some delicate machinery of my magnificent timeship? You could've killed us.”

Rose couldn’t help but laugh as a hint of amusement, and to her delight also arousal, trickled over their bond.

“Knock it off, you said you were working on the translation circuit. Not very life-endangering.” She grinned and patted the space next to her. Crossing the room with a few quick steps, the Doctor settled down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “And I missed you,” Rose added as she curled into his side.

The Doctor let out a content hum and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, rubbing his fingers soothingly over her arm. Flooded with affection for him as he tried to comfort her, Rose tipped her head up and the Doctor readily met her lips for a kiss.

Rose sighed contentedly against his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling closer when the Doctor gripped her waist to pull her into his lap. The gentle caress of his lips against hers finally banned the last dark thoughts from her mind. The Doctor’s affections were still the most effective way to remind her that they were finally reunited, and no force in the universe would ever be able to pull them apart again.

Curling her fingers into his hair, Rose was just about to deepen the kiss when the TARDIS suddenly jolted. Rose let out a yelp and the Doctor tightened his grip on her, keeping her from tumbling off the jump seat. The ship groaned as she jerked again, more violently this time. Rose climbed off the Doctor's lap, gripping the edge of the seat as tightly as she could.

“What?” the Doctor asked in astonishment as they both watched the time rotor of the central column come to life. He jumped up and rushed to the console.

Rose followed him, trying hard not to get thrown off her feet.

“What did you do?” she cried as she joined him. The Doctor frowned at the controls, flipping switches and pressing buttons that didn't seem to do anything at all.

“I didn't do anything! I don't know what she's doing!” he protested, slamming his fist on the console as the ship refused to follow his commands. The TARDIS sent them a mental wave of annoyance. Wherever she was going, she didn’t let her pilot stop her.

“Hold on! We're landing!” the Doctor yelled over the wheezing and groaning, just a second before the ship came to an abrupt halt.

Rose held her breath for a moment before she slowly let the air whoosh out of her lungs.

“What was that?” she asked, finally letting go of the console.

The Doctor stared at the monitors.

“I don't know,” he said, frowning. “Something's not right.”

“But we've landed, yeah? We're somewhere?”

He nodded. “Yes. I can't see where, but- Rose, wait!”

But by then, Rose had already crossed the console room and pulled open the doors.

She hadn't expected something so normal. Rose frowned as she stepped out onto the cobblestone pavement. Tall brick buildings were casting long shadows onto the street. The last moments of dusk were quickly passing by, leaving the deserted street in growing darkness.

The Doctor rushed out of the TARDIS behind her. He stopped right next to her, looking around with a frown on his face until his features cleared in understanding. “Ohh,” he said, his shoulders slumping.

Rose didn't need him to explain. She could feel it by now, the second presence in her mind, so familiar yet different from her Doctor. Like an echo, pulsing in her head through the Doctor's connection with his younger self. He felt rougher at the edges, darker somehow, but Rose was sure it was the Doctor she had met before. The one who had brought her home only a couple of months ago.

The feeling of him took her breath away for a moment. His lightness and youthful spark that had intrigued her all those months ago were damped by grief and guilt. Rose knew that feeling, knew it well from her own Doctor, although he always tried to shield them from her as best as he could. But even if he couldn't, time had relieved the pain he was going through. From this Doctor, it was still fresh and raw and burning in her mind, making tears spring into her eyes.

Although she could feel him so clearly in her mind, there was still no sight of him. Rose desperately tried to stay calm as she rushed around the TARDIS, stopping dead in her tracks when she caught sight of a figure in the distance. Slumped against a wall in the shadows, she could only make out his shape, but the burning intensity of his consciousness in her head made it obvious that it was him.

Without hesitation, Rose broke out into a run and rushed at his side. She wasn't prepared for what she saw. His clothes were dirty and torn, covered in blood. Years of war and fighting had taken its toll on him. He looked older, harder, and with his shorter hair, his eyes clamped shut and the face distorted in pain, Rose barely recognized him in the dim light. But he opened his eyes when she approached and his eyes lit up, the same way they had done all this time ago when she first met him. His lips curled into a smile.

“Rose,” he breathed out, low and quiet and filled with emotion, as if he was drowning and she was his lifeline. It made Rose’s heart clench in her chest, but before she could say anything, he collapsed right into her arms.

“Doctor!” Rose cried out in alarm. She wrapped her arms around his waist, struggling to keep him upright. A second later the pinstriped Doctor was there, helping her to lower him to the ground.

“What's wrong with him?” Rose asked as the other Doctor took the pulse of his younger self, frowning as he counted the beats.

“I'm not sure,” he finally said. “Looks like he was injured before he came here.”

Rose brushed her fingers down the Doctor's cheek, tears gathering in her eyes when he didn’t stir. She sniffled and her Doctor sent a wave of reassurance through their mental link.

“He's gonna be all right, Rose,” he said, trying to soothe her. “This is not how I'm going to regenerate.”

Rose wiped her tears away, taking a deep breath to calm down. She couldn't afford to fall apart right now. Not when the Doctor – both of them, she presumed – needed her.

~~~

Together, Rose and the Doctor managed to get his younger self into the infirmary of their TARDIS. Rose gulped when she saw his pale face in the white light of the room. He hadn’t moved at all. Even his chest was still, as if he was barely breathing. She had seen her Doctor injured more times than she could count, had seen him in bleeding and in pain, but this stillness terrified her more than anything else. He couldn't die, not in this body, not when he still had their collective life ahead of him.

The Doctor gently guided Rose away from the exam table, squeezing her hand in reassurance before he pulled a large scanner to the side of the table. Wrapping her arms around herself, Rose watched how he adjusted the machinery over their patient and finally switched it on. She joined the Doctor in front of the monitor, impatiently waiting for the results.

“He's in a healing coma,” the Doctor finally announced, frowning at the screen. “Several cuts and bruises. Some internal damage that looks quite bad but not severe enough for regeneration.”

Rose let out a breath of relief. “Can we do anything to help?”

The Doctor shook his head. “His body is taking care of all the injuries on its own. Most effective treatment, I would say. He's going to be fine after a bit of rest.”

Still worried, Rose returned to the exam table and took the Doctor's hand. She gently ran her fingers over his cold skin.

“Right,” she finally said with determination. “If we can't do anything else, let's make him at least a bit more comfortable, yeah?”

With the Doctor's help, Rose managed to get his younger self out of his dirty and torn clothes. She sucked in a sharp breath as she uncovered the blue and purple bruises on his chest, but her Doctor quickly sent her a mental wave of comfort. He was going to be okay, and that was all that mattered. Rose bit her lip, trying to pull herself together to concentrate on the task at hand. The Doctor pressed a washcloth into her hands and she began to clean his skin of the dark grime sticking to it. Rose gently ran it across his face, over his cheeks and his brow, taking in his features that looked nearly relaxed now. Whatever he was going through right in that moment, at least he wasn't in pain, and it made her heart a little lighter.

Once she had finished, the bruises on the Doctor's ribs had already abated. Rose was always fascinated how quickly the Doctor's body could recover, and it looked like this time was no exception. A bit of colour had returned to his cheeks, although he was still motionless.

They eventually managed to dress him in sweatpants and a T-shirt, and the TARDIS helped to move him into their bedroom. Cleaned up and wrapped into a blanket as he was now, it nearly looked like he was simply sleeping.

Rose sat down on the bed next to him, running a hand through the Doctor's hair. She felt the mattress dip as the other Doctor sat down beside her.

“Just give him some time,” he said quietly after a moment of silence. “He's going to be all right.”

Rose shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. “You keep saying that. But he won't be all right, will he?” she said, her voice shaking. “Physically, yes, but apart from that?” She turned to her Doctor, his face blurry through her tears. “Is the war already over for him?”

The Doctor hesitated for a second, but then he shook his head. “I don't make it out of the war with that body. But it... it must be close to the end,” the Doctor said, not meeting her eye.

“So he won't be all right. He can't be.”

“He will,” the Doctor insisted. “Given enough time.” He scooted closer to her until he could wrap an arm around her. Rose leaned into his touch, grateful for the comfort.

“You made me better and I'm sure you can do the same for him,” the Doctor said and pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head. “If I had to guess, I'd say that's why he's here.”

“You don't remember this, then?” Rose asked quietly.

“Nope.”

They remained embraced for a long moment, seeking solace in each other's warmth. But eventually, the events of the day caught up on Rose. With the adrenaline finally leaving her veins, she felt exhaustion settle over her and let out a yawn. She snuggled closer to the Doctor, but he gently pulled out of the embrace and cupped her cheek.

“Why don't you lie down and get some rest as well?”

Rose rubbed her eyes and yawned again.

“What about you?” she mumbled.

The Doctor smiled apologetically. “I want to check on his TARDIS first. She might be damaged as well. Besides...” His smile turned into a grin. “You already have one Doctor in your bed.”

He gave her a quick kiss before taking off. Rose changed into pyjamas before she crawled under the covers with the other Doctor, curling up next to him. She watched his chest slowly rise and fall with his breathing, letting the regular movements soothe her worries, and finally her eyes fell shut.

~~~

Rose woke to the gentle motion of fingers trailing over her cheek. Not quite awake yet, she burrowed deeper into the blanket and reached out through the bond she shared with the Doctor instead of opening her eyes. She could feel him in the distance, his thoughts busy as he concentrated on fixing whatever he could on the TARDIS. There was someone else beside her. Someone who she could also feel in her mind now that she focused on him, radiating amusement at her reaction and utter fascination at seeing her next to him.

Rose opened her eyes. In front of her was the younger Doctor, watching her intently. He startled and pulled his hand back when she met his eyes.

“Hello,” Rose smiled. His lips curled upwards as well, just slightly, into the hint of a smile. Merely an echo of what she knew from him. “How are you feeling?”

The Doctor let out a long breath. Rose could feel how he hesitated, not sure what to say, but finally deciding on the truth. It was not that he could hide much from her right now. “Been better,” he finally admitted, tearing his gaze away from her face. “But the healing coma is complete. My body took care of the most urgent injuries. I’m still a bit sore, but that will pass.”

“Okay, good. 'M glad.”

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, staring at the ceiling. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, struggling to form a sentence, but when Rose reached out for his hand and entangled her fingers with his, the words finally poured out if his mouth.

“I thought you were a dream, when I first woke up,” he admitted, his voice trembling. “I've dreamed of you before, so many times, but I always woke up alone. Back in the war. I never thought you could be real, when I saw you sleeping beside me.” He shook his head, as if he still couldn't believe his eyes.

“I'm real,” Rose promised, squeezing his hand as she tried to calm him. “I'm really here. And if I could, I would never leave you.”

“But you can't, can you?” the Doctor said, his voice breaking. “You can't-”

“Shh, c'mere,” Rose said softly, tugging on his hand to pull him closer. The Doctor readily moved into her embrace and Rose held him close, soothing him with soft touches and whispered words until his body stopped trembling. It was a long time before they pulled apart. The Doctor looked calmer, the hint of desperation lingering in his expression gone for the moment. Rose smiled and this time he smiled back, a proper smile that made his eyes light up and reminded her so much of the man she had met before. It made Rose's heart a little lighter, to see that this man was still there, no matter how deep he had to bury the cheerful side of him in order to make it through the war.

Still close to her, the Doctor reached out to cradle her face in his hands. He gently brushed his fingers over her cheeks, his expression open and vulnerable as he searched her eyes. She leaned into his touch, covering his hand with hers.

“Can I kiss you?” the Doctor asked, his voice low and breathy. Rose gave him an encouraging smile.

“You don't have to ask,” she said, shifting closer to him. It was all the Doctor needed. With a passion she hadn't expected after his previous gentleness, he brought his lips to hers. Still cradling her face in his hands, he kissed her hard and deep, holding her exactly where he wanted her. Not that Rose wanted to be anywhere else in that moment. She gasped against his lips, readily opening her mouth for him when he slid his tongue along her bottom lip, begging for entrance. A shiver went down her spine as he deepened the kiss.

Without breaking away the Doctor moved until she was on her back and he was hovering above her. He was careful not to rest his full weight on her, but Rose's need to feel him closer grew with every swipe of his tongue against hers. She curled her arms around his waist and pulled him down to her, her hips meeting his. The Doctor broke away from her lips with a groan.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, panting against her skin. His body trembled in her arms and Rose ran her hands down his back, sending a wave of reassurance through her link to the older Doctor, knowing that he would feel it as well.

“All right?” she asked, a bit breathless after the passionate kiss.

For a second only their heavy breathing filled the silence. The Doctor shook his head, still not looking at her.

“Hey, it's okay,” Rose said, combing her fingers through his hair and trying to calm him. “You're safe.”

The Doctor let out a shaky breath against her skin.

“It was so selfish of me to come here. Dangerous even. I should not have done this,” he finally said, his voice hoarse.

Rose tightened her arms around him.

“I think you are exactly where you should be,” she said quietly, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. “I hated the thought of you being alone in the war. 'M glad you're here.”

“I know I should have suppressed the memory of you a long time ago,” the Doctor said. “But I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not in the middle of the war, when it felt like the world was ending. That my life was ending. I could've never imagined that there is a future for me, but here you are. You were a reminder that somehow I make it through this, that I will find happiness again. That there is a purpose in all this fighting. And that was enough to keep me going.”

Rose listened silently as he spoke, drawing slow circles on his back.

“But not any more?” she finally asked when the Doctor did not speak again.

“No,” he said, breathless and desperate. “I just... had to see you. Had to convince myself that you are real and not a part of my imagination.”

He raised his head to look at her, unsure of her reaction. Rose gave him a smile, running her fingers down the side of her face.

“I'm real,” she assured him again, reaching up to peck his lips. “And I'm not going anywhere for now, I promise.”

For a fraction of a second the Doctor hesitated, but then he kissed her again, taking her breath away with the passion and the hint of desperation he poured into the kiss. Heat pooled low in her stomach and blood rushed through her veins. It felt new, being kissed like that by this version of the Doctor. But despite the little touches that she wasn’t accustomed to, there was still a familiarity in his actions, and the contrast send a thrill through Rose.

When the Doctor pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, trying to catch his breath.

“Rose,” he whispered as she wrapped her arms around him. “I know this is terribly selfish of me, but... I...”

His voice trailed off and Rose rubbed his back, running her hands down his spine until they rested at the waistband of his trousers.

“Whatever it is, it's all right, Doctor.”

“I want you,” the Doctor finally said, his voice rough. “I want you so much.”

“Okay.”

The Doctor pulled back, searching her eyes as if he wasn't sure he'd heard her right. Rose gave him a smile, hoping it was reassuring although her heart was pounding hard against her ribcage in nervousness.

“Are you sure? You want this?” the Doctor asked.

“Yes. And I think you're talking too much,” Rose teased, her tongue poking out at the corner of the mouth. The Doctor's gaze fluttered down to her mouth and Rose didn't hesitate to pull him back down to her.

His lips crashed down to hers, kissing until her head was swimming with arousal. The throbbing between her legs grew with every swipe of his tongue against hers, every brush of his fingers against the skin of her stomach where her shirt had ridden up. They both grew more desperate, arousal and excitement amplifying over their mental link, so when the Doctor tugged at her shirt Rose readily sat up so he could pull it over her head.

They both stilled for a moment. The Doctor's gaze roamed over her chest, taking in her naked form.

“You're beautiful,” the Doctor breathed out. He reached out to touch her, but hesitated in the last second. “What about...?”

He didn't need to finish the sentence. Rose knew what he was going to say and felt her already flushed cheeks heat up further. She send a quick question through the mental link to the older Doctor. He had been in the background of her mind for the last moments, but there was no way he didn't know exactly what they were up to.

“I... I mean, we have discussed this after you dropped me off,” she finally said, embarrassment flooding her although she knew there was no reason for it. Discussed was a simplified term – in fact, after she had accidentally projected the thought of the three of them the last time, the Doctor had teased her mercilessly about her fantasies during intimate moments. But it had always been obvious that he found the thought of two versions of him with Rose as arousing as she did.

The Doctor chuckled. “So he's going to join us?” he asked.

Rose blushed further and bit her lip, but she finally nodded. “I think so. If that's all right with you. Could be hard to keep him out anyway, with the bond and all that.”

“No objections from me,” the Doctor grinned and leaned down to finally press his lips to her heated skin. Rose sighed in relief as he peppered kisses over her shoulders and along her collarbones until he finally moved down to her breasts. The first swipe of his tongue against her nipple coaxed a long moan out of her.

A moment later the door slammed open. Rose looked up to see the Doctor rushing in, his suit jacket already gone. He pulled the tie from his neck as he entered, and immediately started to pop open the buttons of his shirt. His flushed cheeks and the dark eyes did nothing to hide his arousal.

“Rude, to start without me,” he said, slightly out of breath, as he strolled over to the bed.

With a wet sound, the other Doctor let go of Rose's breast and glanced at his older self. “I'm sure you understand that I couldn't possibly wait another minute to start this,” he said, his voice low and sultry and making Rose shiver in his arms. He shifted and turned to his side, pulling Rose with him. The older Doctor grinned and slid into bed with them, curling an arm around Rose from behind.

“Oh, I never said I wouldn't have done the same,” he said, pressing a kiss to Rose's neck while he gently stroked his fingers over her stomach.

The Doctor in front chuckled before moving his lips back to hers, nibbling on her bottom lip as he palmed her breast and rolled a nipple between his fingers. The other Doctor's fingers wandered lower, teasing her with gentle caresses until they finally slipped under the waistband of her pyjamas to where she was hot and wanting. Rose keened at the first touch against her clit, and for a second, it was all too much. One Doctor behind her, his fingers stroking through her wetness, his lips leaving a dark mark on her neck, his erection pressed against her bum. A second Doctor in front of her, stealing her breath with his kisses and teasing her breasts in such a delicious way it sent more heat sizzling down to her core. Both of them radiating arousal and adoration and love through their mental link, amplifying each other's feelings until Rose felt like she could drown in them.

Both Doctors suddenly slowed down and pulled back slightly. Concern pulsed inside Rose's mind and she sucked in a shuddering breath.

“Is this all right?” the Doctor behind her asked, placing a delicate kiss on the mark he had just left on her skin.

The other Doctor cupped her cheek, searching her eyes. “We don't have to do this,” he said, but Rose quickly shook her head.

“No, don't stop,” she protested, still a bit breathless. “I want this. I want you, both of you. It's just... a bit overwhelming.” She willed her racing heart to slow down and wrapped an arm around the Doctor, pulling him close again. The other Doctor pressed his chest back to her bare back, tracing circles on the skin of her stomach in an attempt to calm her.

The Doctor in front of her smiled. “We can go as slow as you like. We've got all the time in the world.”

Rose nodded and sent a wave of reassurance through their bond, along with a shot of arousal to tell them exactly how much she wanted them both. The Doctors groaned in unison, a sound Rose was sure she would never forget for the rest of her life. When their mouths and fingers returned to her body, stroking and teasing her arousal back to new heights, Rose let her eyes fall shut and let the pleasure overwhelm her.

~~~

A long while later, Rose was curled up between the Doctors, content and exhausted. She rested her head on her Doctor's chest while the other one spooned behind her, an arm thrown around her waist to keep her close. Her body was still buzzing with pleasure, but her mind was tired after the emotional strain. As beautiful and unique sharing her thoughts and feelings with the Doctor was, it did leave her exhausted – especially this time, after not only one but two Doctors had very thoroughly made sure to leave her as satisfied as they could.

The older Doctor was asleep beneath her, and the slow double heartbeat under her ear nearly lulled Rose to sleep as well. She barely stirred when the Doctor behind her pulled back and quietly slipped out of the bed. But the soft click as the door was shut behind him finally roused her.

Blinking sleepily, Rose her gaze wander through the dimly lit room. She needed a moment to register what had happened, but then the empty second half of the bed startled her awake. Careful not to wake the Doctor, Rose jumped out of bed, hastily slipped on a dressing gown and rushed out of the room. She could still feel him at the edge of her mind, distant and withdrawn, but he wasn’t able to block her out completely. He was still there, and she wasn’t too late.

Rose ran down the corridor, mentally pleading him to stay. When she dashed into the console room, he stood by the door, still and waiting.

Rose swallowed her anger at him and took a deep breath. He couldn’t just go without a word, not after what they’d done. But yelling at him wouldn’t do much good. She clenched her hands into fists, trying to calm down before she spoke.

“I’m sorry,” the Doctor said, sounding genuine. “I just thought it would be easier. To go while I’m still feeling brave enough to do it.”

He sounded so lost, so beaten, that Rose felt all her anger fade away.

“I know. I understand,” she said quietly. “Or at least I’m trying to. And I just… I’m not trying to stop you. I just wanted to say goodbye.”

The Doctor finally turned around to her. He looked at her for a long moment before his lips curled into a smile.

“Rose Tyler,” he said, and the way her name fell over his lips made Rose shiver. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

Rose smiled, shuffling her feet, and felt her cheeks heat up.

“I haven’t done anything, have I?”

“Oh, more than you know,” the Doctor said as he took a few steps into her direction. He stopped in front of her, gently taking her hands in his. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for what he was about to say.

“I know how I can end the war,” he said, his expression serious. “And I know I have to do it. I know it is the only way to end this. But the cost is higher than I could have ever imagined.”

Rose stepped closer to him, giving his hands a squeeze.

“It’s the right choice,” she said softly.

The Doctor laughed, a short, bitter sound.

“I know it is. It doesn’t make it any easier.”

At a loss of words, Rose wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as she tried to comfort him as best as she could. The Doctor melted into her embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

“I have to say it again. Thank you,” he finally said after a long moment, his breath ghosting over her skin. “For reminding me there is a future for me, although I still don’t know how it’s possible that I don’t die along with everyone else. For giving me the courage to do what I have to do. For loving me, in spite of it all.”

He eventually pulled back, his eyes damp, and Rose swallowed her own tears. She forced herself to smile.

“It won’t be long,” she said. “I promise. It will be over soon, and then it won’t be long until you find me.”

The Doctor smiled, a soft smile that couldn’t cover the grief in his eyes. But when he spoke, his voice was steady and genuine.

“I will look forward to it,” he said. “Goodbye, Rose.”

And with that, he turned around and walked out of the TARDIS. He didn’t look back, but Rose understood that he couldn’t. Right in this moment, he just had to keep moving. Swallowing hard, Rose let her tears fall, resisting the almost overpowering urge to follow him.

She turned around, thinking of the Doctor still sleeping in their bed. He was proof that he would be okay, no matter what he had to do now. It broke her heart to let the younger Doctor go now, but they would be together eventually. And then they would have their forever.


End file.
